Baking Bread in a Coffee Can

Baking Bread in a Coffee Can

Can bread has been around for a long time, but it seems that this tried and true method has been forgotten by the masses. However, this is one recipe that can be used even if you don’t have access to a kitchen, which makes it the perfect cooking enhancement to use in a SHTF situation. As long as you have the raw ingredients and a cooking source, you can whip up a batch of healthy food that will provide a good and tasty source of energy.

The Basic Recipe

This recipe is for your standard sized coffee can, and you should use one that has a removable plastic lid. You can always scale up or down according to your particular requirements.

3 1 Pound Empty Coffee Cans

2 Packets of yeast

2 Tablespoons of sugar

1 Tablespoon of salt

½ Teaspoon of baking soda

5 Cups of flour

A sprinkle of cornmeal

1 Cup of warm water

1 ½ Cups of milk

Take the baking soda and dissolve it in 1 tablespoon of water and set aside. Combine the yeast and sugar in a bowl, add the water and then mix. Let it stand for about 15 minutes so the yeast will activate and expand. Meanwhile, grease the inside and bottom of the coffee can with some shortening, or use some non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the greased surfaces and shake out the excess.

Slowly add and mix the salt along with 3 cups of flour and 1 cup of milk. Once it has been mixed thoroughly, add the remaining ingredients and continue to blend. The mixture will not be as thick as pizza dough or as runny as pancake batter. It will be a bit sticky and gooey, and this is okay. Pour the mixture evenly into the coffee cans. Don’t worry about filling them all the way up, as the dough will rise and fill in most of the empty spaces.

Place the lids on the cans and let rest for about an hour for the dough to rise. The lids should pop off once the dough has risen enough. Place the cans into a preheated, 375 degree oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove and stab with a knife to ensure that the dough has cooked through. Remove the cans and turn them over, tapping out the bread. Place the bread on baking racks and allow to cool for a few hours. You can eat the bread right away, put in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it for longer periods of time.

You can also cook the can bread next to a fire or makeshift stove and achieve similar results. However, you may need to practice a bit to get a sense of how close to the flames or heat source the can should be to prevent burning. The end result will be a delicious and healthy addition to any survival menu plan, and the bread will provide a stable source of carbohydrates as well.